What is Open Source?

Open source refers to a type of software whose source code is made available to the public, allowing anyone to view, use, modify, and distribute the code. This is in contrast to proprietary software, where the source code is kept secret and only the compiled program is distributed. The core principle behind open source is the idea of collaboration and the belief that sharing knowledge and resources leads to better, more reliable, and more innovative software.

Open source software is built on the premise that when many people work together, they can create something greater than the sum of its parts. Contributors to open source projects come from diverse backgrounds, and they bring a wide range of skills, experiences, and perspectives to the table. This diversity of thought and expertise leads to more robust, innovative, and reliable software.

Watch this short video to get an additional introduction to what Open Source software is.

It's valuable to have an idea of what open source software (OS) is, and how it differs from closed source or proprietary software, particularly since you'll be spending time throughout your Industry Experience working on OS software. However, you should also know that not all OS software is created equally. There is a myriad of open source software licenses, each with their own limitations. Many private companies allow the use of open source software (e.g., libraries), though they are selective of how the OS software must be licensed so they will adopt it. We will spend a bit more time exploring this in another module.

Material in this lesson is from (“Intro to Open Source with OpenSauced”)[https://intro.opensauced.pizza/#/]. The material is licensed under the (CC 4.0 International License)[https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/]). This material was re-ordered, modified, and integrated into material created by Kibo School.